Leiden University College The Hague (LUC) offers an interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Sciences programme which is centered around Global Challenges: major issues facing humanity and the planet. LUC focuses on:
This thematic approach to Liberal Arts & Sciences is unique to LUC.
You combine different fields of study, and have the freedom to choose from a from a variety of subjects throughout the years. At LUC you start out broad, exploring the Global Challenges through different academic disciplines. In your second year you choose a major, and put together your own curriculum by choosing from a range of electives in- and outside your major. This way you will gain broad knowledge, but also study a specific area of interest more in depth. This helps you develop analytical and critical thinking skills and you learn to think outside of the box. At LUC you benefit from studying in small classes with dynamic teaching methods, in an environment with excellent academic and personal support. At LUC you will be immersed in an international community of like-minded students who enjoy being challenged by a high-paced study programme, and who are passionate about making an impact on society.
Ajay Gandhi
Assistant Professor
‘The Global Challenges courses provide students with a conceptual vocabulary for understanding wide-ranging processes. For example, in the Diversity Global Challenge, we focus on the social, political, and moral aspects of human difference. We use the concepts and methods of anthropology, history, sociology, journalism and literature to analyse, compare and interpret the range of possible social organisation and expression. We put small-scale communities as well as centralised nations and hierarchical empires within the same frame, analysing how European, African, Asian and American societies produce variation. Our students learn a historically anchored, culturally perceptive, and politically attuned way to understand our entangled and evolving world.’
In your first year, you follow courses that introduce you to of the four core Global Challenges of the programme. In addition to you will follow several foundational courses such as Academic Writing, and supplement them with four electives of your choosing.
In year 2 and 3 you mainly follow courses within your chosen major, where each major has several tracks and specialisations available, and plenty of room to add electives. The Global Challenges continue to play a large role throughout all majors of the programme.
At LUC you will live with fellow first- and second-year students on the LUC campus in a studio apartment with your own bathroom and kitchen, located in the heart of The Hague. By living with other LUC students, your learning experience will extend beyond the class room as you live in an international and diverse environment. Each residential floor has a Residential Assistant: a second- or third year student who is there to facilitate a community feeling on your floor and is your first point of contact in case of emergenies.
Leiden University enjoys partnerships with over 600 universities on all continents, and in addition LUC has many programme-specific partnerships, such as Bocconi University, PUC Chile, National University Singapore, The University of British Columbia and Tulane University, among many others.
Over 1700 alumni have spread their wings to pursue prestigious master’s degrees and PhD studies or started their professional careers. Many of our graduates move abroad for their next step in life. The flexible and interdisciplinary approach with a focus on Global Challenges ensures that when you graduate from LUC, you will have a solid set of skills which can be applied to real-life situations. With rapidly changing demands on an increasingly international labor market, you will be an attractive candidate for many organisations across the globe. This includes both multinationals such as big consultancy firms or investment agencies, as well as the non-profit sector; many of our graduates end up at NGO’s, government agencies, research institutes and think tanks, the European Union or diplomacy.
Each year, LUC selects 200 students through a holistic and selective admissions process.We want to make sure we are the right fit for you, and you are the right fit for LUC. We carefully consider your academic background but also your interests and motivation to study at LUC. For a full overview of minimum required grades and documents, we refer you to our website. Keep an eye on the application deadlines: December 1 (Early bird) and March 15 (regular)!
LUC provides limited financial support for students who can demonstrate financial need: a partial waiver towards the institutional fee or cost of living. If you are interested in receiving LUC financial support, make sure you apply for the programme by the Early Bird deadline: 1 December.
Location: The Hague
year programme, 180 ECTS
English-taught programme established
nationalities
first year students
average class size
